Mounting of detector element in shuttle for electrical weft detection



May 30, 1933. 'R. G. TURNER MOUNTING OF DETECTdR ELEMENT IN SHUTTLE'FOR ELECTRICAL WEFT DETECTION Filed Sept. 26, 1930 PM mw T mm MEIUNR 0% m;

IN l/E/V TUE R/[HA 5'0 5. TURNER /*W A77UfP/VE Y5 Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

RICHARD GREENLEAF TURNER, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROl IPTON & KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS MOUNTING OF DETECTOR ELEMENT IN SHUTTLE FOR ELECTRICAL WEFT DETECTION Application filed September 26, 1930. Serial No. 484,599.

This invention relates to improvements in shuttles for electrically indicating weft exhaustion and it is the general object of the invention to simplify shuttles of this type by placing the major moving element in the split portion of the shuttle tension.

Certain forms of shuttles are provided with spindles split throughout a part of their length so as to provide resilient expanding portions to grip a cop or weft carrier. It is an important object of my present invention to provide a contacting lever located in the slot and so proportioned that when the latter is compressed to its smallest normal size the lever will still be free to move.

It is another object of my invention to provide a pivot mounting for the contact lever secured to one of the resilient parts of the spindle and constructed so as to move freely with respect to the other part of the spindle. thereby permitting the latter to function in its bobbin or cop gripping operation without interference on the partof the mounting for the lever.

It is a further and important object of my present invention to construct a shuttle for giving indication of weft exhaustion electrically so that the reserve bunch of weft remaining after the indication is given may be located between the yarn engaging protuberance on the previously mentioned lever and the pivot of the spindle, the projection on the lever being so formed as to offer little or no increase in the tension of the yarn forming the bunch when the last few picks are unwound. 7

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a shuttle made according to my present invention, parts of the spindle being shown in section, 3

Fig. 2 is a verticalsection on line 22 of Fig.1,

Fig.3 is a vertical transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, a r

Fig. 4 is a detailed front elevation of the shuttle showing the contact members for engagement with the external circuit,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section showing'a portion with an enlarged longitudinal section on line 55 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section on line 66 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the shuttle S has at the right hand end thereof asillus trated herein a thread passage 10 communi eating with two thread eyes 11 and 12 which are located longitudinally and transversely, respectively, of the shuttle, These eyes receive the weft from the wound mass of yarn located in the shuttle and deliver the same as the shuttle operates. A. transverse supporting pin 13 extends across 'anupwardly facing pocket 14. and has mounted thereon a spindle 15 having a hooked head 16 to fit over the pin 13. A longitudinally extending 'substantially vertical slot 17 is formed in the spindle, although the righthand or tip end of the spindle is solid as at 18. A depending finger 19 on the spindle engages a wall of the shuttle to limit right hand movementof the spindle about pin 13 as viewed in Fig. 2. A retaining spring 20 is seated in a slot 21 formed in the top of the shuttle and is held therein by a screw 22 anchored into the body of the shuttle. This spring normally en'-' gages the head 16 of the spindle as indicated in Fig. 2 to hold the same in fixed with respect to the shuttle.

The matter thus far described is of common construction in spindle shuttles and forms no part of my present invention.

In carrying my invention into effect I pro-' vide a pivotal connection or stud having" an enlarged end 31 threaded into a hole 32' formed in one of the split parts 33 of the spindle. The head ofpthe screw or stud lies" flush with the periphery of the spindle and has projecting therefrom a bearing stem 34 extending through a clear opening 35 in the other spindle part 36. The stem is smaller in diameter than the hole 35 and projects into the latter sufficiently to form a suitable position pivot for weft engaging contact lever 37 for all positions of the spindle parts 33 and 36.

The contact lever as suggested in Figs. 2 and 5 is free to move vertically through the customary slot 17 about the stem 34 and has a pointed finger 38 at the left hand end thereof as shown in Fig. 2 to engage an electrode 39 insulated from the spindle and connected electrically to a plate 40located in the front wall of theshuttle. A second plate 41 is connected to the pin 13 and is therefore in electrical contact with thespindle and the lever 37 at'all times.

The cop C may be formed of paper and has a longitudinal slot 42 through which extends a roundedprojection 43located on the under side of the lever 37. The projection is adaptedto extend through the slot 42 when permitted to do so by absence of weft, but is ordinarily held elevated by the weft which crosses the slot 42.

. In operation, when sufiicient weft is present, the lever is held out of contact with the electrode 39, being urged downwardly at all times by gravity and tending to move about the stem 34. When weft is unwound so as to uncover the slot 42 the rounded projection 43 will fall through the slot to perm't engagement by gravity between the finger 38 and the electrode 39. Under these conditions an electric circuit is established through the shuttle and an external circuit not shown but including contacts 50 and 51 which register, respectively, with the plates 40 and 41, to bring v about a change in the operation of the loom,

such for instance as loom stoppage or shuttle changing.

The bunch of weft Bis located between the projection 43 and the pivot pin 13 so that after an indication of weft exhaustion is given there will be suflicient weft reserve to permit as many flights of the shuttle without complete exhaustion as are required. I have found in practice that it is desirable to locate the bunch as shown herein rather than at some point between the projection and the tip of the cop, because in the latter instance weft drawn from the large end of the cop will be required to move over the bunch and thereby be subjected to increased tension around the whole periphery of the spindle or cop, As shown herein that part of the projection 43 near the pin 13 is rounded so as to offer very little if any increased tension on the weft which is being drawn from the bunch, and this increase, small as it is, occurs at but one point in the periphery of the cop.

The lever 37 is light and may easily be lifted.

by the weft as it hugs the outer surface of the cop during the unwinding operation.

A shoulder 60 formed on the lever 37 engages an abutment 61 on the spindle head to limit downward movement of the lever, while the left hand end of the finger 38 is provided with another shoulder 62 also positioned to engage the abutment 61 and limit upward movement of the lever relatively to the spindle. In this way a fresh cop may be slipped over the spindle with assurance that thelever will be in proper position not to interfere with such operation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a convenient means for supporting the contacting lever in the usual shuttle spindle slot and that the pivotal mounting for the lever is such as to permit unhampered separation of the component parts of the spindle as they act to grip the interior walls of a cop or other form of Weft carrier. It will further be seen that the weft carrier is so wound as to have a bunch Which is located between the filling or protecting projections 43 and the pivot for the spindle. It will further be seen that the detector lever 37 extends on both sides of that part of the cop on which the bunch B is wound, and that this part of the cop acts to limit movement of the detector with respect to the spindle because of the relation shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a shuttle, a spindle pivoted in the shuttle and having two resilient portions tending to move away from each other and separated bya slot extending throughout a portion of the length of the spindle, means defining a pivot secured to one of said portions and extending across the slot into and movable relatively to the other portion, and a weft'detecting lever mounted on saidpivot for free movement in the slot when the said portions are compressed.

2. In a shuttle, a spindle pivoted in the shuttle. and having two resilient portions tending to move away from each other and separated by aslot extending throughout a portion ofthe length of the spindle, means secured to one of said portions extending across the slot toward and movable relatively to the other portion to define a pivot, and a detecting lever mounted for angular movement about said pivot means and deriving its support in part from said means and being movable in theslot for all normal positions of the portions relatively to each other. i

3.. In a shuttle, a spindle pivoted in the shuttle and having two resilient portions tending to move away from each other and separated by a slot extending throughout a portion of the length of the spindle, a stud having a part threaded into one of said portions and having a stem extending across the slot'and into the other portion, and a detecting lever mounted on the stem and movable freely in the slot regardless of the position said spindle portions may assume with respect to each other under normal operating conditions.

4. In a shuttle, a spindle, means defining a pivotal connection between the spindle and the shuttle, a weft detecting element having a part located within the spindle and capable of relative movement with respect therto, a weft carrier mounted on said spindle and having a slot therein, a yarn engaging projection extending from the element and registering with the slot in the carrier to move through the latter when weft is unwound from the slot, and a bunch of reserve weft wound on the carrier and located between the projection and said means of defining the pivotal connection between the spindle and the shuttle.

5. In a shuttle, a spindle, pivotal connection between the spindle and the shuttle, the spindle having a slot therein, a weft detector mounted for movement in the slot, a projection extending from the detector adapted for movement out of the slot, a weft carrier and mass of weft carried thereby mounted on the spindle, and a bunch of reserve weft wound on the weft carrier between the projection and the pivotal connection, the detector extending on both sides of the bunch longitudinally of the shuttle.

6. In a shuttle, a spindle, pivotal connection between the spindle and the shuttle, the spindle having a slot therein, a weft detector mounted for movement in the slot, a projection extending from the detector adapted for movement out of the slot, a weft carrier and mass of weft carried thereby mounted on the spindle, and a bunch of reserve weft wound on the weft carrier between the projection and the pivotal connection, the detector extending on both sides of the bunch longitudinally of the shuttle and that part of the weft carrier on which the hunch is wound engaging the detector to limit movement of the same in the slot. 7

7. In a shuttle, a spindle, pivotal connection between the spindle and the shuttle, the spindle having a slot therein, a weft detector mounted for movement in the slot, a projection extending from the detector adapted for movement out of the slot, a weft carrier and mass of weft carried thereby mounted on the spindle, and a bunch of reserve weft wound on the weft carrier between the projection and the pivotal connection, the detector extending on both sides of the bunch longitudinally of the shuttle, the projection having an inclined surface extending toward the bunch.

8. In a shuttle, a spindle, pivotal connection between the spindle and the shuttle, the

spindle having a slot therein, a weft detector mounted for movement in the slot, a projection extending from the detector adapted for movement out of the slot, a weft car; rier and mass of weft carried thereby mounted on the spindle, and a bunch of reserve weft wound on the weft carrier betweenthe projection and the pivotal connection, the detector extendingon both sides of the bunch longitudinally of the shuttle, the projection having an inclined surface extending toward thebunch and terminating withinthe weft carrier.

9. In a shuttle having a -mass of weft mountedon a carrier, an electric contact C311".- ried by the shuttle,.a spindle pivoted in the shuttle and having two resilient portions tending-to move apart to grip the carrier and hold the same in position with respect to the shuttle, said resilient portions being separated by a slot extending longitudinally, of the spindle, and an electric weft detecting lever pivotally supported with respect to the resilient portions tending to move away from each other to grip the weft carrier and separated by a vertically disposed slot extending longitudinally of the spindle, a contact carried by the shuttle and out of electrical engagement with the spindle, and an electric weft detecting lever electrically connected to the spindle and freely movable in the slot and actuated by gravity to move into engagement? with the shuttle carried contact to give electric indication of weft exhaustion, said lever being limited as to movement relativelyto the spindle by engagement with the carrier.

11. In a shuttle having a wound mass of weft therein, a spindle having spaced resilient parts which are effective by moving apart to hold the mass of weft in position in the shuttle against longitudinal motion, a connection between the shuttle and spindle, a yarn engaging detector located between the resilient outwardly relatively to the spindleto give indication of weft exhaustion, and a reserve bunch of weft between the detector and connection.

12. In a shuttle having a wound mass of weft therein, a supporting connection between the mass of weft and shuttle, a yarn spindle parts and tending to move engaging detector within the mass of weft tending to move outwardly to give indication ofv weft exhaustion,and a bunch of reserve weft located between the detector and the supporting connection.

18. In a shuttle having a wound mass of weft therein, a spindle supporting the mass of weft from within the latter, a connection between the spindle and shuttle, a yarn en- 3 gaging detector normally within the mass of weft-and tending to move outwardly from thecenter of the mass to give indication of 5 weft exhaustion, and a reserve bunchof weft located between the detector and connection. 14.1 In a shuttle having a wound mass of weft therein, a pair of relatively movable parts normally held apart and effective by r 19 being held apart to prevent movement of the mass of weft longitudinally of the shuttle, a connection between the elements and shuttle,

a yarn engaging detector between the ele-' ments "tending tomove outwardly relatively to the mass ofweft to give indication of Weft exhaustion, and a bunch of reserve weft between the connection and the detector.

-15. In a shuttle having a wound mass of weft, a carrier for the mass of weft, a spindle having spaced resilient parts which are effective by moving apart to hold the carrier in proper position in the shuttle against longitudinal motion, a supporting connection between the spindle and shuttle, a yarn engaging-detector movable within the mass of weft outwardly through the carrier and relatively to the spindle to give indication of weft exhaustion, and a bunch of reserve weft on the carrier and located between the detector 5. and the spindle pivot.

16. In a shuttle having a spindle, a weft carrier with a'wound mass of weft thereon mounted on the spindle, a detector member mounted on the spindle and located normal- 1y within the weft, ayarn engaging surface on the detector tending to move outwardly, an indication given element on the detector member effective to give indication of weft exhaustion, and a bunch of reserve yarn on the carrier between the yarn engaging surface and the indicating element.

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

' RICHARD GREENLEAF TURNER. 

